PGI seeks new rule on church building<\/p>\n
By Imanuddin<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) is
\nseeking to change the regulation on where it can establish its
\nhouses of worship in the future, taking the power away from local
\ncommunity leaders and putting it into the government's hands.<\/p>\n
PGI's Secretary-General J.M. Pattiasina said the communion's
\nleaders will review the issue during its grand assembly in
\nJayapura, Irian Jaya, next month.<\/p>\n
The communion, grouping 68 Protestant denominations in
\nIndonesia, is drafting its proposal for a new regulation on the
\nestablishment of houses of worship.<\/p>\n
The proposal, which calls for clearer guidelines and greater
\ngovernment power, is expected to be finalized in Irian Jaya,
\nbefore it is presented to the government, Pattiasina told The
\nJakarta Post in an interview.<\/p>\n
Under the present regulation, the local community has the
\npower to decide on whether or not they want the presence of a
\nchurch or a mosque in their area. This often creates friction
\nbetween this society's majority of Moslems and its minority of
\nChristians.<\/p>\n
On the one hand, Moslems view the establishment of a church in
\ntheir midst with suspicion because they perceive it as an attempt
\nto proselytize. The Christians say they need to have churches
\nnear their homes in order to practice their religion.<\/p>\n
Pattiasina disclosed that the PGI proposal will call on the
\ngovernment to make the rulings on whether houses of worship can
\nbe established in a certain area rather than leaving the decision
\nto the local community leaders.<\/p>\n
The PGI Grand Assembly, scheduled for Oct. 21-Oct. 30, is
\nexpected to be attended by about 2,000 church leaders. It will be
\nopened by Vice President Try Sutrisno, Pattiasina said.<\/p>\n
Not all the Protestant denominations are members of the
\ncommunion but the larger ones -- including the Toba Batak
\nProtestant Church, the Gereja Kristen Indonesia and Gereja
\nKristen Java -- are. The churches grouped in the communion are
\nthe Indonesian denominations of the Lutheran, Pentecostal,
\nReform, Mennonite, Methodist and Calvinist religious groups.<\/p>\n
Protestantism is the second largest religion in Indonesia,
\naccounting for nearly six percent of Indonesia's 190 million
\npopulation. Moslems represent the largest with about 87 percent.
\nRoman Catholicism follows third after Protestantism.<\/p>\n
The upcoming assembly will be the 12th held since the
\nestablishment of the communion in 1950.<\/p>\n
The PGI last held its grand assembly five years ago in
\nSurabaya, East Java. The church leaders feel that the time has
\nnow come to meet again to review progress and to respond to new
\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
\"The General Assembly is expected to forge a greater unity
\namong the various church members and reinvigorate the teaching of
\nChristianity,\" Pattiasina said.<\/p>\n
The assembly will also draw up a five-year plan for the PGI,
\nwhich will be disseminated to church followers through the PGI's
\nregional branches and denomination members.<\/p>\n
The theme of this year's assembly is \"Oh Holy Spirit, renew
\nour theme and unite us\" and the sub-theme is \"Together we build a
\ndiverse society in Indonesia, which is united, prosperous, and
\nequal in the framework of national development as the
\nimplementation of Pancasila.\"<\/p>\n
Pattiasina admitted that one of the shortcomings of the
\nProtestant churches in Indonesia is their inability to increase
\ntheir role in modernizing their services to their followers and
\nin resolving internal disputes between church members.<\/p>\n
He cited as an example the prolonged conflict befalling the
\nToba Batak Protestant Church (HKBP), which, with more than two
\nmillion followers, is the largest denomination in the PGI.<\/p>\n
Pattiasina said the PGI tried mediating the dispute between
\nthe two conflicting camps in the HKBP through a meeting in
\nJakarta last month. A second meeting was planned in Tarutung,
\nNorth Sumatra, this weekend.<\/p>\n
Pattiasina said he hoped the dispute could be resolved before
\nthe general assembly. \"We expect that HKBP could send one
\ndelegation.\"<\/p>\n
On the issue of religious harmony in Indonesia, the PGI
\nsecretary-general said there are no more serious frictions
\nbetween the people of different faiths. However, he urges more
\nopenness in terms of dialog between the religious leaders.<\/p>\n
Pattiasina also stressed the importance of separating religion
\nfrom politics in order to prevent people from thinking that the
\nchurch is indulging in politics.<\/p>\n
A reverend could join one of the existing political parties,
\nbut he must release his position in the church. In other words,
\nthe person must not be an active reverend, he added.<\/p>\n
PGI is a continuation of the Indonesian Church Council (DGI)
\nwhich was founded on May 25, 1950. The establishment of DGI was
\npreceded by the formation of a number of councils of churches in
\nseveral regions in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In 1948, three prominent figures of the Council of Churches --
\nRev. B. Probowinoto of the Yogyakarta Chapter of Council of
\nChurches, Rev. W.J. Rumambi of the United Christian Churches in
\nEastern Indonesia, and Rev. T. Sihombing of the North Sumatra
\nChapter of Council of Churches -- held a meeting in Jakarta to
\nform a conference committee to prepare for the establishment of
\nthe National Council of Churches.<\/p>\n
The preparatory conference for the establishment of DGI was
\nheld in 1949 and the council was officially established in a
\nconference of churches in Jakarta a year later.<\/p>\n
The name of DGI was converted into PGI at the 10th General
\nAssembly in 1984 in Ambon. The change in name of the institution
\nwas expected to increase the role of Christian Churches in a
\nunified body serving and helping the Christian community.<\/p>",
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